Tri-ang Minic 1/1200 M733 TSS Vikingen whale oil factory ship 1930-71
A 1/1200 scale second-hand model of Vikingen by Triang Minic M733. This model is in excellent condition, no paint chips and all the original plastic masts present, quite remarkable for a 55 year old toy. See photograph
Vikingen was built by Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson & Co at Wallsend for the Viking Whaling Co. of London and was the first whale oil factory ship to be built new in Britain. By 1933 it was operating for a Norwegian company and by 1938 it was sold to Germany and re-named Wikinger. Having survived the war she was taken over in 1945 and re-named Empire Venture and operated by the Kerguelen Sealing & whaling Co. Ltd. of London for the one season before being transferred to Russian interests and being re-named Slava. By the early 1970s she was in Japan as the Fuji Maru but was scrapped starting in July 1971.